Global Perspectives: Teaching, Curriculum, and Learning Environments

In an increasingly interdependent world, well prepared educators will move beyond nationalist perspectives to deeply examine global perspectives about how to be an effective teacher, what constitutes a valued and engaging curriculum, and how learning occurs across environments.

Curriculum Theories, Practice, and Design

The overarching objective for this course is to help participants develop and clarify their philosophy of education—in particular, their beliefs regarding the purposes and processes of effective and equitable curricular organization. This course explores varied ways of conceptualizing a school curriculum, drawing on insights from major curriculum designers, both past and present, US and international.

Models and Theories of Instructional Design

Now well into the 21st century, schools struggle with the challenge of offering a high-quality education for all learners, regardless of race, family status, national origin, language, or ability. Increasingly, curriculum is accessed digitally, and student work is generated and exhibited using technology tools. Within this context of change, this course reviews the evolution of theories of learning and instruction, and then critically examines a range of contemporary models and theoretical frameworks.

Family & Community Engagement 

The purpose of this course is to introduce participants to theories, practices, and empirical research regarding family and community engagement in schools. The focus is on how school leaders—formal and informal—enact organizational models, educational programs, and political strategies that increase authentic relationships with parents and community members.

Globalization, Mobility, and Education

This course addresses political economic issues related to migration and education. It asks how cultural, social, political, and economic factors influence immigrant incorporation, and how educators can facilitate immigrant students’ opportunities for learning through changes in policies, pedagogies, and curricula.

Language Learners in Global Perspective

This course provides an overview of language learning and the situation of second language learners in schools. First, from a sociocultural perspective, we review processes of language learning and the challenges language learners face when they must simultaneously learn a language and learn a subject matter in that language. Then, we study how these processes vary across cultural contexts.

Perspectives on Disabilities and Special Education Practices

Conceptualizations of disabilities and approaches to education for students with disabilities vary around the globe. In this course we will gain understandings of factors that influence societal and education systems’ perspectives on disability, as well as if, why, and how special education is provided around the globe.

Designing Learning Environments in a Social and Digital World

With consideration to global shifts in interconnectivity, social interactions, and technology, what counts as knowledge and expertise has changed. This has significant implications for how we design curriculum and other learning environments. In this course, we will examine and evaluate different learning environments and various aspects within those environments.

Preparing the Whole Person for Global Citizenship

The course will focus on the development of individuals and their role as global citizens.   We will explore the whole person development of adolescents and emerging adults in the digital age--one marked by a participatory culture. We explore these questions while foregrounding the different strategies and methodologies of counseling, developmental, and educational psychology.